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Juvenile colt bought by Blandford Bloodstock for £410,000

A colt by Dark Angel (Acclamation) topped the Tattersalls Irealnd Goresbridge Sale on Thursday when bought by Blandford Bloodstock for £410,000. 

The colt is out of Listed placed Venturous Spirit (Arch) who has already produced three winners and further back this the family of 2003 Hong Kong Vase (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Vallee Enchantee (Peintre Celebre). 

The colt was pinhooked last autumn by Katharina Irmer and Jerry Horan, who signed as Paragon Bloodstock, for just €6,000. 

After purchasing the horse, leaving Alex Elliott as the frustrated underbidder, Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown said: "Well it was significantly more than I had expected or hoped to pay! I thought he did an outstanding breeze and obviously the sire is one of the top sires in Europe. He is a gorgeous big horse, and when I spoke to my client last night we highlighted him as the one – as obviously my underbidder had too! He is a smashing horse and you always have to pay more than you value them.

"I was on the phone to my client through the sale and I would say that was our last bid. I am delighted to get him, he was never going to be a cheap horse but when you get to those echelons, the pressure is on!"

Of future plans for the colt, who is out of the black-type mare Venturous Spirit, Brown outlined: "I can't say who my client is, but he will be trained by William Haggas"

He added: "It is one of the greatest sale ring touches and fair dos to the consignor. It shows that the dreams are there and good on them, they prepared him to a very high standard."

Five further lots made over £150,000 with the second most expensive sale of the day being a Bated Breath (Dansili) filly who sold from Grove Stud to Alex Elliott for £240,000. 

"We come to these sales and we try and buy the best horses, and we thought she was the best horse here – her price suggests that plenty of others thought so too," said Elliott. "She did a very good breeze, she has got a pedigree, she is by a sire that I admire – when you want to buy these horses that can do everything, you've got to get the head down and buy them. She has been bought for a partnership, I don't know who will train her yet but she will stay in England. She was one I thought we had to have, I am very happy.

"Her vetting was good, she is a beautiful physical, her action is superb, you could see her in a parade ring before a good race. It is good throw, let's hope it works out."

Of the sire, Elliott said: "I think Bated Breath is one of the best value sires in Europe, he gets colts, he gets fillies, they do well in the States – this filly could go over to America as she has that profile."

A delighted vendor Brendan Holland, who bought the filly for just 30,000gns, said: "She is a lovely filly, gorgeous, she has a bit of pedigree, isby a nice sire, did a great breeze – at the end of the day that is what this game is all about – breezing well."

Overall 176 lots sold during the one day session for 5,689,301gns at an average of £32,326 and median of £20,000.